Crimson Interview
by stenv
Summary: It was a dark and stormy night, as the most perilous interview began. I know it's a little early, but this is a nice spooky one-shot for spooktober.


**Disclaimer: I don't own these properties or characters. Please support the official release.**

**Londinium. October, 30th 1985***

Andrew exhaled a long drag of his smoke as he drove his car down the gloomy streets of Londinium. The great city which was weathered from the test of time, and stood as a monument to Albion civilization.

Though tonight he couldn't be taken in by its beauty. It was a dark stormy night, the stars were completely shrouded by dark clouds. Only the faint light of civilization gave him any measure of sight. His mood was in tandem with the downpour of the storm.

Yet again, he had reached another dead end into his search for answers. The Eleventh Goddess continued to elude him, and more than a few parties kept insisting that he edit parts of his research. Trying to uncover the truth had led him to nothing but frustration when all he wanted to do was better understand the chaos that had ravaged the world back during the great war. He almost felt in touch with the weather, like his disappointment and resentment pouring down on him as the storm only seemed to get more intense. It actually worried him, that he might need to stop by an inn tonight, especially if there was a chance of flooding.

He had first started his search back in 1967, and all he had managed to do was revisiting the past. Uncovering very little, and what he did uncover was quickly hushed out of fear of making those involved look unsavory.

He had made his breakthroughs, and as he turned a bend towards his home, he began running through in his head what few revelations he had learned. He had learned the name of the mystery unit, the 203rd. At first, it had been tricky, as the few veterans who had heard of it claimed they were nothing but propaganda. But further digging had led him to confirm they had in fact existed, but everything else was frustrating. The occasional sound of thunder and lightning jostled him in his seat, especially since they seemed so close by. It gave him a bit of apprehension of being struck by stray lighting. He quickly exhaled and realigned his thought process, to less anxiety-inducing thoughts.

Such as learning the final fate of the 203rd, all their names were lost to history. But strangely, Andrew felt a fascination with the leader of the 203rd. The Eleventh Goddess, he didn't know her name. But, through a combination of true grit and providence, he had learned more than most would've thought. He knew that the Eleventh Goddess was well decorated and if his theory was right, she might have even been a child during the war. When he had first come up with the theory. He didn't quite believe it himself, but the more he thought about it. Things started to add up frighteningly well, to the point it seemed that it was the truth.

Yet again, he was at an impasse. After years of all his hard work, his editorial was finally canceled. He sighed as he drove his car into the parking way, and groaned as he got out in the heavy rain. He became soaked in less than a few seconds, even as he locked his car door and then rushed with as much haste to his house. The howling winds carried a deeper chill into his bones, as he fumbled with his keys.

They were slippery in his fingers, and he wouldn't deny a bit of impatience as the harsh storm kept pelting him with frigid rain. He muttered some curses under his breath as he kept trying to get the key in right.

His house was an old fashioned one, it wasn't that he lacked a good salary to afford a more advanced house. But he preferred the classical houses, the house was pre-colonial in nature, in an all-white color scheme. He shuddered as he finally managed to open the door and rushed inside.

He was grateful that his wife was off visiting her parents since he doubted she would be fond of him tracking water into her meticulously cleaned house. The house was rather homey and well lived in, with some souvenirs from overseas. The union jack flag hanging proudly in the living room, a small color tv, and three chairs along with one old couch that had been passed down from his family.

It was old and had a patchwork look to it, supposedly as his old grandfather would have claimed. It had been around since Londinium was a thing, always being repaired and kept in good condition through the generations. It had made him interested in history as a young lad, and he never had the heart to tell his grandfather that the couch wasn't as old as he thought it was.

Loud booming noises carried from outside, as Andrew walked into the laundry room. Discarding his wet jacket and hat, but something seemed off to him. At first, he chalked it off to the isolation he felt since he was the only one at home. And one couldn't blame him for feeling some unease, as the storm added to the mood. He could hear the windows rattling, the winds howling as they rustled the trees. And the heavy pelting of the rain all over the house, it gave him the willies.

But then he noticed there was a distinct aroma in the air. It smelled like a rich flavorful scent, and it seemed to be coming from the kitchen? He headed to his kitchen, after having dressed in some new dry clothes from a laundry basket his wife had left on one of the shelves.

On his way to the kitchen, the floorboards beneath his bare feet creaked eerily, as a few thunderclaps sounded in the background. He investigated his kitchen, and noticed on the counter there was something that looked like ground up coffee beans?

He was immediately on edge at the thought of an intruder in his home. He rushed to get his old cricket bat in the storage closet. If someone was inside his home, he wasn't going to let them get him. He kept an eye out as he edged his way out of the kitchen, and headed to the living room, and went for the phone on the wall. But when he went to use it, there was nothing.

The phone lines had been cut. He gulped as thunder roared in the background. _'The storm is intense outside, I don't think I could even navigate my way back to the nearest police station.'_ Now of all times Andrew was starting to regret his choice to live a little distance from civilization in the more relaxing outskirts of town.

There was only one thing to do then. He readied his cricket bat and looked around the darkened house as the occasional flash of lightning illuminated parts of the house. Turning on the lights would likely give him away to whoever was trespassing. He methodically searched the living room, the laundry room, the storage closet. And then after ensuring there was no one on the ground level of his house, he looked at the stairs as the creaking of the house seemed to play on his rising anxiety.

A thunderclap brought him back to reality and thinking of his wife. And what kind of situation they would be in if the thieves stole from them. He couldn't allow that, so mustering his courage. He began slowly walking up the stairs, hoping that he could be quiet enough so as to not draw attention. Wincing every time the staircase creaked, and the house made him all the more nervous. As every creaking sound, every shuddering, the rattling of the windows, and the storm outside kept making him feel like he was being watched all around. And that at any moment, the robbers would jump him in surprise.

He breathed shakily as he made his way up the staircase, step by step. Until he finally reached the top and was confronted with a long hallway. There were only four rooms on this level, he and his wife's bedroom with its own bathroom. Two guest rooms, though they used one for extra storage. And finally there was his study, and the door was slightly ajar. He gulped as that must be where the thief or thieves were. He raised his cricket bat one more time, as he slowly approached the door. And then for some reason, as he stood in front of the door, he lost all feeling in his body. His arms went down to his sides, dropping the cricket bat with a thud, and thunderclap outside. Then he was reaching for the door, and yet it wasn't because he chose to.

He was screaming internally, his body was moving of its own volition. It was like he had become a machine, his motions were too mechanical and fluid compared to how he usually moved. It was like an out of body experience, as he opened the door to his study and walked inside, noticing a chair had been placed in front of his desk facing it. While his main chair had it's back turned to him, but he knew someone was sitting in it, though he couldn't see them due to the shadows.

"Please, do sit down." Goosebumps could be felt all over his body, as he sat down in the chair against his own will. What truly terrified him, was that though the voice sounded like a young girl. There was something wrong about it, an unnatural feel to it as though it was something pretending to be a little girl. "Mr. Andrew, was it?" The voice asked again, as Andrew finally felt some semblance of control back. Though only for his head, the rest of his body still felt paralyzed.

"Y-Yes…?" He stuttered ashamed of his own fear. _'What is going on? I can't move my body, and I feel the presence of death in the air.' _He heard a set of footsteps walk past him, and in the faint lighting that he could make out. It seemed like a victorian maid, and the light clinking sound he could hear on his desk implied she had one of his wife's fine china cups. He heard a liquid being poured into it. Then the shadowy maid walked around his desk to whatever was sitting in his favorite chair with its back to him.

Based on the aroma, he could tell the entity was drinking coffee? But then he heard the entity cough once. "Thank you, my dear, though please fetch the decanter." The shadow maid nodded, and then went back to the desk. And Andrew's eyes followed her movement, noticing a decanter filled with a dark hard to see liquid. The maid fetched it, and once again gave it to the figure he couldn't see in the chair. "Ah my apologies Andrew, but I felt a little parched. I do hope you don't mind if I take a drink right quick. Though are you feeling famished as well, Andrew? If so this lovely maid I picked off the street, can provide you with refreshment." The so-called child's voice sounded kind enough. But it still made him uneasy, as though she was a cat toying with her food right before the eating would commence. He also smelled a strange coppery smell, and the sound of a spoon stirring whatever was in the decanter into the coffee no doubt. _'She must have added whatever was in that decanter to her coffee.'_

"That's kind of you. But who are you? And why are you in my house?" Andrew tried to remain calm, despite the cold sweat. Doing his best to keep the panic out of his voice. It felt like his instincts were telling him to run away, but his body wouldn't listen.

"Hmm, I will have her prepare a drink just in case for later. Interesting questions I will give you that. But it feels like an uneven trade, I've asked you one question, and you ask me two." The voice chuckled in a cold manner, letting Andrew know he had upset her to some degree. "But I won't punish you since I am curious. But from now on, the exchange will be a question for a question. If you make a mistake to ask more than once, however, I will punish you severely. Do you understand?" She asked with an edge.

"Yes, Ma'am." Andrew gulped, suddenly feeling a dry feeling in his throat. Perhaps, he should take the drink the girl offered. But he couldn't help all the rampant questions running through his mind.

"Very good. Now my turn," He could practically feel the smirk in her voice. "You've been rather dogged in your pursuit of the so-called Eleventh Goddess. Why is that?" She asked with an odd tone that he couldn't quite make out.

"I served in the war," Andrew began taking a shaky breath. "Like my fellow countrymen, I had heard rumors of the Devil of the Rhine. Heard how they were the reaper of the battlefield, and during a battle. They had been sighted where I was stationed, but I never saw them. I wasn't an aerial mage, so I didn't have the misfortune to meet them directly and ever since that day. I wanted to know more about them. Along with wanting to understand the greater mysteries of the war. So much of it was a confusing time, lost in the madness of blind nationalism and propaganda. I needed to know more." He took a breath, as he felt strange. When was the last time he had ever truly vented like this to someone? And yet it felt like he couldn't keep any secrets from this unknown girl.

"How interesting." The Girl replied, sounding intrigued. The chair then slowly turned around, and there was finally light as the fireplace in his study seemed to come alive of its own accord. But the sudden introduction of warmth couldn't help the chill running down his spine, as he was in shock seeing what was before him. _'It's a little girl after all!'_

She looked ethereal to him. With alabaster flawless skin, blonde hair that almost seemed golden. And her piercing red eyes stirred, something primal in him. She was the predator, and yet he couldn't help but be drawn into her gaze. She was dressed like a regular boy, despite her girlish face.

"I must admit Andrew. You're not what I expected. Here I thought, you were simply doing a puff piece to further paint the defeated Empire into a darker image." She smiled and he could've sworn that he saw fangs. "Well now, it's your turn to ask a question." She gestured to him with a graceful hand motion for him to ask.

"Who are you?" Andrew asked with no hesitation. He was afraid, deathly so, and knew instinctively that at any moment. This monster in the form of a little girl could kill him, she may not have looked it. But with his entire soul, he knew that she could kill him as easily as he could crush an ant.

The girl smiled, widely showing off her extra sharp fangs. And her red eyes seemed to glow in a perverse manner of satisfaction. "Hmm devoted to still knowing, no matter the risks... Admirable." She smirked as she picked up her coffee, and drank it with a purr. "But I suppose it won't do harm for this one night to drop my secrets." She mused to herself as she swirled the coffee in the fine china. "My name is Tanya Von Degurechaff. I had other names as well, The Argent Silver or Rusted Silver." She leaned forward, and Andrew desperately wished he could back away. "And my enemies called me The Devil of the Rhine. And you gave me a new name, which while flattering. It also became something of a bother how persistent you were in your constant search." She said letting him fill in the blanks.

'_IT CAN'T BE! COULD SHE REALLY BE THE ONE I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR?! _Andrew's slack-jawed expression made Tanya tilt her head. Andrew's mind couldn't quite comprehend what was going on, even if she had been a child during the war. The fact that she was still a child before him, meant something was very wrong and unnatural. But he contained himself from the flurry of questions he desperately wanted to ask her, remembering her earlier warning.

"That's a good lad. You remembered. Now then, my turn for a question. What do you prefer to drink?" Tanya asked in a sweet tone.

"I prefer Tea…" Andrew said in a hushed tone of voice. Tanya nodded to him, and then snapped her fingers. The maid could be heard in the background leaving the room.

"She will be back with your tea once it is finished. But in the meantime, feel free to ask another question." Tanya stated, taking another sip of her coffee.

"What are you?" Andrew didn't know why. But for some reason, he didn't doubt that she was the elusive Eleventh Goddess he had been searching for all this time. But now he wanted to know just what was she?

"An interesting question," Tanya mused leaning back in the chair, holding the china cup in both her hands. "I have been many things. And I would complain that your question is too broad. But seeing as tonight is an exception. I will tell you, and then it will be up to you if you can believe my answers or not." She stated with a matter of fact tone. Andrew nodded in understanding.

She sighed, and then took a long drink of her coffee. When she was done, he could see little traces of the coffee left. She placed the china cup gingerly on the desk, and then she brought her hands together in a contemplative way. "I was originally from another world," She began and Andrew knew it would be best to not interrupt her. "I won't bore you with the details of my old life. But suffice it to say, a greater monster than I came along. Deciding that I lacked faith, and demanded faith from me. I bantered with the belligerent entity, deeming it X. Perhaps if I hadn't bantered, I would have been reincarnated with no issues." She chuckled in a manner that Andrew almost thought of as sardonic.

She closed her eyes as though deep in thought. "But I bantered, and he took what I had to say too literally. And decided perhaps if I of all people could be converted, he would solve what he perceived as a crisis. But I made a poor decision, put in one last word in edgewise. And it doomed me to this current existence as an immortal creature of the night." Andrew could see the tension in her hands, and he counted his luck that he wasn't this Being X she spoke of. He had no doubt she would have torn him apart in a most painful manner if he had turned out to be this entity that she had such hatred for.

She let out a sigh and the tension drained out of her hands. "So you see, I am a monster created by an even greater monster that would claim to be the so-called god." She finished opening her eyes, and Andrew could tell he was being studied. He wasn't really sure how to feel about her answer, he could believe that she was a monster in human form. But this Being X and talk of reincarnation were too bizarre for him to comprehend. _**'Ah find it a bit hard to believe despite the circumstances you find yourself in?' **_Andrew gasped as he heard her voice inside his head.

She smirked at his reaction, and she let things linger in silence until the shadow maid returned with freshly brewed tea. Tanya handed the woman her china cup, and the woman walked out of the room once again. "Now then I do believe it is my question once again." Tanya declared while tapping on the desk. Andrew could feel something his upper body once again and found he could move his arms. But his legs still wouldn't move. He reached for the cup of tea on his desk, not foolish enough to try anything with the creature of the night sitting before him. "Tell me, Andrew. What do you truly know of Gods and Monsters?" She asked with a smirk sending more chills down his spine. And Andrew at that moment could see that it would be a long night.

"Not as much as I thought I did," Andrew replied to her query. "Though if I were to hazard a guess, based on your red eyes. That pale complexion, and your fascination with blood. I suppose you would qualify as a vampire." He gulped as Tanya smirked at his declaration.

"Very astute. I can see how you weren't just lucky in your search for answers," Tanya gave a slow clap that would have ordinarily been mocking in any other situation. But Andrew genuinely did feel she was congratulating him.

"Thank you kindly, Miss," Andrew said a little embarrassed from praise. He couldn't quite tell why, but it was like he was a young schoolboy again.

"Now then it is your turn to ask a question once again." Tanya gestured for him to speak, and after taking another sip from his tea. Andrew took a moment to think of just what he could ask this creature of the night. She had been personally in the war, had likely seen and done things that so many others didn't want to be known. It was a goddamn miracle that in his eyes, that he had the chance to talk to someone who had lived a portion of history that so hushed.

His mind was overflowing with the endless amounts of questions he wanted to ask her. He couldn't quite tell where to begin. Of course, he still worried about what might happen to him at the end of this exchange. _'Since she implied that she could let her secrets be known for this one night, does that mean she intends to kill me?'_ Andrew, however, felt a strange calm despite the likely imminent death that awaited him. _'While I fear to die, and wouldn't wish such grief to my wife. I am also glad to finally have the answers I've long sought.' _He wondered if Tanya could hear his thoughts since she had spoken to him earlier in his mind. He couldn't rule out the possibility even as she maddingly stood there watching him, awaiting his question.

"What dark gifts did your monstrous nature give to you?" Andrew finally decided on his question. He would get to the history inclined questions later, or at least he hoped he would. But he couldn't help but feel curious as to how she operated. He only could guess two of her abilities so far, immortality and control over individuals.

Tanya smirked at his question, the sharpness of her teeth putting him on edge. "To start with, I am eternally young. I can command those using my will, though mages are the only ones capable of resisting that. I don't die easily, and I am able to change my form in several ways." She took a pause as the maid from earlier, returned to the room with fresh coffee, that was then poured into the fine china cup. Tanya took the decanter and poured it's red contents once again into the coffee. Stirring it up, turning the pitch-black coffee slightly red.

Andrew could finally guess what was in the decanter, he didn't want to dwell on it. "And these dark gifts of mine, are practically a separate system of magic. Of course, as you would think, it is blood magic. So I must feast every time I use my dark gifts," She punctuated her sentence by drinking the coffee laced with blood. "And I can't use regular magic like humans, luckily when I went to school, I became quite adept at blending my magic to look like regular magic. Throw in some subtle influencing of the mind, and my blood magic is indistinguishable from regular magic." She chuckled darkly, as though recalling something fondly. "In a lot of ways, I must ironically thank the great war. I despised every single moment of it, sure you may not believe me. But I truly hate war, it's a waste. But on the upside, it ended up being a good supply for food and allowing me to test my powers." She mused to herself, and then took another sip of her drink.

"Though I do believe kind sir that is my turn again for yet another question," She said putting the fine china cup down on the table. She briefly told him of her origins in an orphanage, where it was located. "What has become of the Orphanage?" She asked in an unreadable tone.

"It fell on hard times following the war's conclusion. But it has since recovered, and it gets donations daily now." Andrew was surprised to see a smile on the vampire's face. _'Did she actually have a fondness for that place? Despite her hatred of the being claiming to be a god?'_ Andrew couldn't help the morbid fascination he felt towards his captor.

"That is good to know, I do believe I will have one last question for you. And then afterward, you may ask one question at a time. And I will decide if I want to answer it or not, understood?" She more declared than asked. But Andrew nodded in agreement all the same. "Now then it is your turn to ask again." She stated and then picked up the china cup once again.

"What is it like being what you are?" Andrew asked wanting to know more about her. The Eleventh goddess he had searched for so long, he wanted to know her. To better understand just what she truly was, he would get to those questions of history. But first, he wanted to understand the creature that had haunted the days of yesteryear.

"A broad question once again. But very well, I will answer it to the best of my ability," Andrew couldn't help wincing at the slight disappointment in her voice. "I would say that I am overall a very rational person, albeit somewhat warped. I am well aware I don't have the traditional values that most 'Good-Hearted' people would value. But I've never gone out of my way to deliberately break any laws, or cause unnecessary suffering." She sighed and then took another long sip of her coffee, draining it once again. She placed the cup back on the table, and the maid collected it and left the room once again.

"As a vampire, however, well it's been interesting. I can walk in sunlight, and I can even feed on normal food. Though sadly food has a very muted flavor to me, I can taste but it tastes dull in comparison to blood." She sighed drearily. "There was an exception to that, however, during the war I possessed a faithful adjutant. She made her coffee to such an excellent degree, it was second to only blood in terms of flavor." Tanya looked out the window, at the dark and stormy night. And Andrew didn't know for certain, perhaps it was the lighting of the fireplace playing tricks with shadows. But it almost seemed like she had a longing expression.

"Though the real trial admittedly is the passage of time, and the growing anticipation for another of X's convoluted schemes to force my faith." She huffed in annoyance, turning her gaze back on Andrew. "My turn for a question then." She said as she began tapping on the table patiently. She looked at him in open curiosity, as though studying him. "Do you know whatever happened to Viktoriya Serebryakov?" Tanya asked, and Andrew racked his brain remembering his search for clues into units that had supposedly met or heard of the 203rd.

"I am sorry to say, but in all the records of the war. I've never heard of that individual." Andrew resisted the urge to ask a question right away.

"Ah, I see." Tanya mused to herself, as the maid came back up with yet another fresh cup of coffee. "Very well, then you may ask more questions. But remember only one at a time." She stated as she mixed in blood from the decanter into her coffee.

"What happened to the rest of the 203rd?" He asked as he sipped his own tea.

"I shall elect to pass on that question," Tanya commented in a brisk tone. There was an awkward silence in the air before Andrew worked up enough nerve to try and ask a different question.

"I know this may seem rude. But could you please tell me the full story of the war? You said that it wouldn't matter what you revealed this night after all. And even if you decide to end me, please, I just want to know." Andrew begged his voice cracking.

Tanya sighed at his begging, but she looked around the room her glowing red eyes seemingly in thought. "Very well I suppose I can tell you my story. Though it will be a long one, and I doubt I can tell it all in one night. But tell it I shall just be warned. You asked to hear this story, and I will not spare you, even if you turn out to be faint of heart. This tale isn't a hopeful one, and many horrible things happened. That would make even a soulless devil weep. So this is your last chance. You can turn back now, and I will wipe this encounter from your memory, and you can go on living your life." She warned him.

"I can handle it please, I want to know." He reaffirmed his conviction, and Tanya sighed almost in a sad manner. Andrew wondered what he was about to get into, as she muttered something in a language he didn't quite recognize. It sounded similar to those domain folks though, from the far eastern island nation.

"Very well Mr. Andrew. I will begin this tale of mine," She now seemed amused. "What a fitting time to tell it, on the eve of Samhain of all nights." She was amused at the implication. She took another sip of her coffee, as Andrew finally felt feeling return to his legs. He was no longer under her control. But he still knew better than to try anything against her, and he couldn't risk ruining his one and only chance to finally get the full story from someone who had lived in the missing gaps of history. "Now where do I begin I wonder?" She questioned more to herself than to him. "I suppose I should reveal how I became the dreaded creature of the night that I am now."

**A/N: And this was just a nice one-shot to celebrate the spooky month of October. Now who knows perhaps someday in the future I could make it fanfic, but I would have to work out all the details first.**

***1985: I chose this time frame because the latest date we know of that his portions take place was in 1980. But if in later translated LNs it goes past this date. Then oof for me.**

**Now in the meantime, I will get back to work on those other stories. But since Spooktoober is around the corner let me know if there are any other spooky type one-shots you want me to write, doesn't necessarily have to be about Tanya. Can be any other characters.**


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